Source: Toronto Sun

After 10 days of nothing but bad news, the Blue Jays got definitive word Friday that Drew Hutchison will not require surgery to repair a sprained ligament in his pitching elbow.

Even that positive turn comes with the caveat that the young righthander probably will be unavailable until September.

"He's on a no-throwing program for four to six weeks," GM Alex Anthopoulos said. "If it's six weeks before he throws, then starts up again and gets ready, we're probably looking at September. The good part about it is that when you're talking about a UCL (ulnar collateral ligament), you're usually talking about Tommy John surgery, and you lose a year. In Drew's case it's not going to happen. At least we know he's not going to be out that long, but it is going to be the bulk of '12 that he's gone."

Anthopoulos has been told to expect Hutchison at 100% once he's fully rehabbed.

"He'll be the same," said the GM. "It'll be 100%. Too many people feel strongly about it. Nothing is guaranteed, of course. There can always be a setback. But we think Drew will be fine."

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